How is Campus Wellness keeping the UW community safe during the measles outbreak?

Yesterday, the Region of Waterloo’s Public Health unit added Conestoga College’s Doon Campus to the list of potential public exposure locations, which now has more than 68 locations. This is Conestoga College’s first potential measles exposure, which occurred on May 21 in the Doon main building, and the second announced potential exposure in a local postsecondary institution, with the first being UW Humanities Theatre on May 8.

As measles spreads throughout the region and enters postsecondary institutions, UW Campus Wellness continues to promote awareness among the UW community and monitor the ongoing outbreak.

Tabitha Zindel, associate director of Clinical Services, stated in an interview on May 28 that currently there are no active cases in the UW community. There has been one potential close contact traced from another exposure elsewhere, but no additional cases arose from this exposure.

“Measles can be a little vague at the start, [with] typical flu or cold-like symptoms. We are also in allergy season, so sometimes [those symptoms] can be misconstrued as well.” Symptoms for measles can take 7-21 days to appear and include fever, cough, and a sore throat in addition to the characteristic skin rash. Zindel also notes that many people may not know that viral particles can linger in the air for up to two hours in a room even after an infected patient has left the area.

Measles is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by a virus, with two recommended doses generally given to infants and children as part of the provincial routine immunization schedule. People unsure of their immunity status can seek a health care provider to request titer tests and check if they need a booster shot.

“We have seen an increase in students coming to us to access those services,” Zindel said in an interview with Imprint. Campus Wellness has physicians on-site who are available for appointments, and an in-house lab offering bloodwork to those who want to check immunity status. Zindel also notes that Public Health lab work, which includes measles titer tests, may take 4-5 days before results are received.

Goldi Gill, executive director of Campus Wellness, stated that the Campus Wellness team has been working with the university’s communications team over the past year to spread awareness among students about measles, and where to seek help and vaccination if needed. Nurses are going to residences across campus to inform students about services available at the campus clinic, and social media outlets are updated with the most current information.

Other than getting vaccinated, what can students do to keep themselves safe? “Proper hand hygiene is the number one measure,” Zindel states. Washing hands, proper disinfection of surfaces, and wearing a well-fitted mask are also crucial as measles is spread through contact and respiratory droplets. Any approved disinfecting agent, including hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, or alcohol-based disinfectants with at least 60 per cent alcohol, can be used when cleaning surfaces. Zindel also advises students to closely monitor for symptoms and isolate when feeling unwell to better protect others.

As of now there are no plans to host a public measles vaccination clinic on campus. For more information on measles, vaccination, and the ongoing outbreak, students can visit the Region of Waterloo’s measles website and Public Health Ontario’s measles exposures page.